Exerciser for physical therapy

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to medical engineering and can be used for therapeutic and remedial exercises and for remedial gymnastics or sports. The inventive training device for physical therapy comprises a frame provided with a base, a platform placed on the base, an additional platform and at least one arm support. Said platform and additional platform are embodied in the form of for supports and are connected in such a way that they are rotatable together with the base. The base is placed on the frame in such a way that it is rotatable or rotatable and fixable or rotatable and fixable and connected to means for producing and/or adjusting an operating load. A distance between the center of rotation of the platform and the center of rotation of the additional platform ranges from 200 to 600 mm. The height of at least one arm support ranges from 500 to 2300 mm.

This invention refers to medical equipment and can be used forhealth-improving or rehabilitation exercise and for physical therapy orfitness.

Fitness exercisers are well known. For example, there is a “Trainingapparatus” under patent RU 33024 UI, 10. 10.2003 made of a base frame, ahandrail, two rotating platforms and one rotating disk. The disk ismounted on the base frame, and the two platforms are mounted on thedisk. The handrail is made with the possibility of elastic deformationor has an element made with the possibility of elastic deformation.

This apparatus permits to increase the efficacy of training variousgroups of muscles and to make exercise more entertaining, but it doesn'tensure a full scope of physical therapy. In particular, the presence ofa handrail with the possibility of elastic deformation or a handrailwith an element made with the possibility of elastic deformation hindersits application for recovery of lost functions, for instance, afterinjury and in rehabilitation of patients with poor coordination ofmovements.

“Apparatus for physical therapy” (USSR certificate of authorship#858821, 1981) is closer to the proposed invention. It has a frame witha base and a platform located on the base. This apparatus, according toits description, ensures rehabilitation of patients with locomotortraumas, or somatic disorders but it doesn't permit to exercise musclesinvolved in rotation of the body and the extremities.

The present invention is aimed at solving the problem of providing aconvenient, manufacturable and constructively simple exerciser forphysical therapy and sports, which would permit to train groups ofmuscles involved in rotation of the body and the extremities and wouldcombine the potential of similar medical or fitness equipment with theability to accelerate the recovery of lost functions, e.g. after spinalsurgery, and to have a positive effect on rehabilitation of patientswith osteochondrosis, spinal trauma and infantile cerebral paralysis.

Accordingly, the technical result of the invention is the technicaleffect objectively manifest in its manufacture and use and realized inthe availability of the above mentioned characteristics.

The essence of the invention is manifested by the totality of essentialcharacteristics, namely, the exerciser for physical therapy with a baseon a frame and a platform on the base differs from the nearest analoguesin that it has a least one hand support and an additional platform, theplatform and the additional platform being made as feet supports androtatably connected with the base mounted on the frame with thepossibility to rotate; or with the base mounted on the frame with thepossibility to rotate and be fixed, or with the base mounted on theframe with the possibility to rotate and be fixed and is connected witha device for creating and/or adjusting the operating load, the distancebetween the center of rotation of the movable platform and the center ofrotation of the additional movable platform is 200-600 mm and the heightof at least of hand support is 500-2300 mm.

The described totality of essential characteristics is sufficient forobtaining the technical result of the invention in all cases that arecovered by the requested scope of legal protection.

In particular instances of its manufacture or application the exercisermight have the following options: a seat and/or additional support forthe feet made as a removable rung; at least one hand support is U-, orT-, or L-shaped or arch-shaped and fixed on posts in parallel to thebase; the frame, the base, the platform, and the additional platform areshaped as disks and/or ovals, and/or polygons, and/or polygons withrounded angels and curved sides; the base has auxiliary devices for feetmade, for instance, as ribbed surfaces or ribbed pads; the base isconnected to the frame by an axis and/or a bearing; the base isconnected to the frame by an axis and/or a bearing and is mounted on therollers; the platform and the additional platform are connected with themovable base by axes and/or bearings; the platform and the additionalplatform have auxiliary devices for feet made, for instance as ribbedsurfaces or ribbed pads; the device for creating the operating load ismade as at least one spring or a rubber link fixed with its one end onthe frame and with its other end on the base, or as at least one springfixed with its one end on the base and connected to the band brake thatis located so as to be able to interact with a cylindrical supportlocated on the frame; it might have a lock to fix the base; the distancebetween the centers of rotation of the platform and of the additionalplatform might be 420 mm, and the height of at least one hand supportmight be 1000 mm; at least one hand support might be provided with amechanism for adjusting height and/or can be replaced by a support withdifferent dimensions.

The above characteristics are related to the technical result in thatthe platform and the additional platform are made as feet supports andmounted on the base with the possibility to rotate, and the base that,in its turn, can be rotated and fixed with regard to the frame, and thispermits to perform both simple and complex movements. These movementsare possible only if the design ensures turning both the body and theextremities. This combination of rotating feet supports and the rotatingbase permits to exercise the multifidus muscles and spinal rotators,abdominal external and internal oblique muscles. In particular, due tothe specific attachment of the multifidus muscles and the spinal rotatormuscles to the 1^(st) and 2^(nd) vertebrae it becomes possible to ensurea local impact on a damaged segment or segments in scoliosis, to recovermacro- and microcirculation and innervation, and to improve trophism.Training of the abdominal external and internal oblique musclesstrengthens the muscles of the prelum abdominale and reduces fatdeposits. It also contributes to maintenance of the ligaments of theinternal organs in tonus and is effective in splanchnoptosis ordislocation of the abdominal and pelvic organs, and in theirdysfunction.

For safe training, at least one hand support with the adjustable heightis required in feet supports rotatably placed on the base.Anthropometric data of the user should be taken into account accordingto the numeric range for setting the distance between the rotationcenters of the feet supports (200-600 mm) and the height of at least onehand support (500-2300 mm). These values were determined by studies thatrevealed the effect of the above complex movements on users of differentheight. In particular, it was found that even a medium effort during atwisting movement not typical for an individual, for example, if thehands are 100-150 mm lower than necessary, might cause trauma, besides,it is difficult to the user to maintain the balance in such a positionof the hands. A customized distance between the rotation centers of thefeet supports, the height of the support and its U shape, T shape, Lshape or arch shape fixed on posts in parallel to the base make theexerciser safe and convenient and allows to keep the balance in nearlyany position. The hand support of any of the above shape widens thepossibilities of the exerciser and permits to perform more complexexercises.

The combination of the above mentioned numeric ranges, the rotatingplatform, the additional rotating movable platform, the rotating baseand at least one hand support permits to considerably enhance theeffectiveness of static exercises, for example, those meant to trainpostural muscles. In this case, the best effect is obtained due to thefact that maintenance of the body and extremities in a certain positionon the movable base and movable platforms requires a considerable efforton the part of the user to keep the position.

The seat and/or the additional feet support made as a removable rungpermit to perform exercises sitting or putting the extremities ondifferent levels.

The feet supports made with additional fixing devices and the movableplatform made with additional devices for the feet, for example, asribbed surfaces or ribbed pads rule out sliding of the user's feet,prevent injuries and make physical exercise more comfortable.

Shaping the frame, the base and the platforms as disks and/or ovals,and/or polygons, providing their junctions with axes or bearings, andinstallion on rollers make the construction simple and technological.

The essence of the invention is explicated by the drawing, where

FIG. 1 shows the general view of the exerciser for physical therapy;

FIG. 2—the same exerciser with the additional feet support made as aremovable rung;

FIG. 3—D view (see FIG. 1) shows the device for creating the operatingload, namely, a spring connected with the base and with the frame in theinitial position;

FIG. 4—D view with the device for creating the operating load after thebase has been rotated;

FIG. 5—D view with the device for creating the operating load with twosprings;

FIG. 6—D view after the rotation of the base connected with two springs;

FIG. 7—D view with the device for creating the operating load made as aspring fixed with its one end on the base and connected with a bandbrake able to interact with a cylindrical support located on the frame;

FIG. 8—J view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9—E view (see FIG. 5) of fixation of the device for creating theoperating load;

FIGS. 10 and 11—A view and G-G section (see FIG. 1) explaining thelocation of the base on the frame and location of the platform and theadditional platform on the base, respectively;

FIGS. 12 and 13—a lock to fix the base in the active and inactivepositions, respectively;

FIG. 14—V-V section (see FIG. 6) showing the connection of the base andthe frame.

The exerciser for physical therapy has a frame [1] with the base [2] andat least one hand support [3]. A platform [4] and an additional platform[5] are mounted on the base [2]. The platform [4] and the additionalplatform [5] are made as feet supports and are connected to the base [2]with the possibility to rotate. The base [2] is mounted on the frame [1]with the possibility to rotate; or with the possibility to rotate and befixed, or is mounted on the frame [1] with the possibility to rotate andbe fixed and is connected with a device for creating and/or adjustingthe operating load. The operating load device can be made as at leastone spring [6] or a rubber link fixed with one end on the frame [1] andwith the other end on the base [2] with mushroom-shaped hooks [7]. Thedistance between the rotation center of the platform [4] and therotation center of the additional platform [5] is 200-600 mm. The heightof at least one hand support [3] is 500-2000 mm.

The exerciser may be equipped with a seat (not shown on the drawings)and/or additional feet support made as a removable rung [8].

At least one hand support [3] made be U-shaped, T-shaped, L-shaped, orark shaped, mounted on the posts in parallel to the movable base [2].

The frame [1], the base [2], the platform [4] and the additionalplatform [5] may be shaped as disks and/or ovals and/or polygons and/orpolygons with rounded angles and curved sides.

The base [2] may have additional feet fixing devices made as ribbedsurfaces or ribbed pads (not shown on the drawing).

The base [2] may be connected to the frame [1] by an axis [9] and/or abearing [10] and mounted on the rollers [11].

The platform [4] and the additional platform [5] are connected to thebase [2] by axes [12] and/or bearings and may have additional feetfixing devices made as ribbed surfaces or ribbed pads.

The exerciser may have a lock [13] to fix the base with a pin [14].

The distance between the rotation centers of the platform [4] and of theadditional platform [5] may be 420 mm and the height of at least onehand support [3] may be 1000 mm.

At least one hand support [3] may have a device for adjusting heightand/or may be replaced by a hand support with different dimensions.Replacement and/or adjustment can be done by the placing the handsupport [3] into holding elements [15] and further fixing with bolts[16].

The operating load device can be made as a spring [17] fixed with itsone end on the base [2] with a pin [18] and connected with a band brake[19] that can interact with a cylindrical support [20] located on theframe [1]. The frame [1] may have legs [21].

For exercising, at least one hand support [3] is adjusted at therequired height or selected in accordance with the anthropometric dataof the user. The support [3] is put into the holding elements [15] andfixed with bolts [16]. The base [2] can be fixed on the frame [1] withthe pin [14] of the lock [13] or can rotate on the axis [9] or on thebearing [10] and rollers [11].

In the first case, the user stands on the platform [4] and theadditional platform [5] that are made as feet supports and mounted onthe base [2] with the possibility to rotate.

Then the user, holding on at least one hand support [3], begins to takeefforts in order to rotate the platform [4] and the additional platform[5] clockwise and/or anticlockwise. Since the platform [4] and theadditional platform [5] are mounted on the base [2] with the possibilityto rotate on the axes [12] or on the bearings, the left and the rightfeet of the user begin to move clockwise or anticlockwise. If necessary,the directions of rotation of the platforms [4] and [5] can be changed.If the base[2] is fixed with the lock [13], the rotation of the feetmight be performed in one direction if they are put in parallel on theplatforms [4] and [5].

If required, the exerciser provided with the device for creating and/oradjusting the operating load can be used. This device can be made, forexample, as a spring(s) [6] fixed with its one end on the frame [1] andwith the other end on the base [2], in particular, by mushroom-shapedhooks [7]. The load adjustment is done by replacement of the spring [6]with a spring that has different characteristics or a differentregulator.

The operating load device can be made as a spring [17] or a rubber linkfixed with its one end on the base [2] by the pin [18] and connected toa band brake [19]. The band brake [19] interacts with a cylindricalsupport [20] located on the frame [1]. At rotation of the base [2] withrespect to the frame [1] the operating load is created by frictionbetween the band brake [19] and the cylindrical support [20]. The spring[17] that presses the band brake [19] to the cylindrical support [20]also compensates the wear.

If the user is on the platform [4] and the additional platform [5]rotating on the axes [12] or on the bearings, while the base [2] rotateson the axis [9] and the rollers [11], the movement of the legs isperformed from the starting position clockwise or anticlockwise andreminds putting one leg behind the other. Such “twisting” involves themuscles that are not frequently used in everyday life, which makesphysical therapy very effective.

If the user is on the platform [4] and the additional platform [5]rotating on the axes [12] or on the bearings, while the base [2] isfixed on the frame by the pin [14] of the lock [13], the movement of thelegs is performed without additional twisting, which is important forthe initial stage of rehabilitation after particular diseases.

When the additional feet support made as a removable rung [8] is used,one foot is put on the rung and the other on one of the platforms [4] or[5]. Performing rotation, the legs are alternatively put one in front orbehind the other.

If the user stands on additional feet fixation devices, and holding at ahand support [3] begins to take effort for rotating the base [2]alternatively clockwise and anticlockwise, the exerciser works as aconventional sports equipment, providing the possibility to performstandard exercises that might also be helpful to the user.

1-13. (canceled)
 14. An exerciser for physical therapy comprising: abase, a frame, the base being rotatably mounted on the frame, a firstplatform and a second platform, the first and second platforms beingrotatably mounted on the base and being configured as foot supports, atleast one non-deformable and replaceable hand support, and a means forcreating and adjusting an operating load, the base being connected tothe device.
 15. The exerciser according to claim 14, further comprisinga seat placed on the disk.
 16. The exerciser according to claim 14,further comprising an additional support for the feet placed on the diskand made as a removable rung.
 17. The exerciser according to claim 14,wherein the at least one non-deformable hand support is of II-shape. 18.The exerciser according to claim 14, wherein the at least onenon-deformable hand support is of T-shape.
 19. The exerciser accordingto claim 14, wherein the at least one non-deformable hand support isL-shaped.
 20. The exerciser according to claim 14, wherein the at leastone non-deformable hand support is arch-shaped, fixed on posts and isoriented in parallel to the base.
 21. The exerciser according to claim14, wherein the frame, the base, and the platforms are shaped as disksor ovals, or polygons, or polygons with rounded corners and curvedsides.
 22. The exerciser according to claim 14, further comprisingauxiliary devices for putting feet thereon, the auxiliary devices beinginstalled on the base and made as ribbed surfaces or ribbed pads. 23.The exerciser according to claim 14, wherein the connection between thebase and the frame is made via an axis.
 24. The exerciser according toclaim 14, wherein the connection between the base and the frame is madevia a bearing.
 25. The exerciser according to claim 14, furthercomprising rollers mounted between the base and the frame and attachedto the base.
 26. The exerciser according to claim 14, wherein theconnection between the platforms and the base is made via a bearing. 27.The exerciser according to claim 14, wherein the connection between eachof the platforms and the base is made via a respective axis.
 28. Theexerciser according to claim 14, further comprising additional devicesfor putting feet thereon, the additional devices being installed on theplatforms and made as ribbed surfaces or ribbed pads.
 29. The exerciseraccording to claim 14, wherein the means for creating an operating loadis made as at least one spring or a rubber link fixed with its one endon the base and with its other end on the frame.
 30. The exerciseraccording to claim 14, wherein the means for creating an operating loadis made as at least one spring fixed with its one end on the base andconnected to a band brake adapted to interact with a cylindrical supportlocated on the frame.
 31. The exerciser according to claim 14, furthercomprising a lock to fix the base.
 32. The exerciser according to claim14, wherein the distance between centers of rotation of the platforms isabout 420 mm, and the height of at least one non-deformable hand supportis about 1000 mm.
 33. The exerciser according to claim 14, wherein theat least one non-deformable hand support is provided with aheight-adjusting mechanism.
 34. An exerciser for physical therapycomprising: a base, a frame, the base being rotatably mounted on theframe, a first platform and a second platform, the first and secondplatforms being rotatably mounted on the base and being configured asfoot supports, the distance between centers of rotation of the platformsbeing of about 420 mm, at least one non-deformable hand support, theheight of at least one hand support being of about 1000 mm, and a meansfor creating and adjusting an operating load, the base being connectedto the device.